Tulkinghorn: Hey, good hooking

The law’s finest rugby players turned out in force in ­Richmond on Sunday 20 ­September to battle it out on the pitch.

Burges Salmon defeated the rest and scooped first prize on the day. But while the crowds admired the sporting ability on the pitch, Tulkinghorn’s scribes admired the range of colourful kits on display.

While they failed to win the competition, Linklaters’ team wins Tulkinghorn’s award for the best dressed of the day. The magic circle firm’s team impressed the crowds with its fuschia-pink and grey combination, complete with pink socks, presumably designed to make the opposition nauseous to the point of vomiting.

There was some consternation over the lack of actual lawyers in many of the teams that took part. LG, which claimed to have no ‘ringers’, could be heard making the most noise. No wonder: the penny-pinchers had no tent of their own and spent the afternoon enjoying everyone else’s hospitality and refreshments. Way to go.

Screening process

The pictures, the flicks, the movies… Tulkinghorn loves a trip to the cinema (especially a good ­romantic comedy – men can cry too). But a law firm making a movie? ­Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has been behind the camera making 25 short films to be made available on a new ‘global careers microsite’.

The mini-movies feature contributions from partners, associates and legal services staff describing what it is like to work at the magic circle firm.

A press release, cutely accompanied by some ­popcorn, describes how the movies asked people to offer up “an insight into their roles in a way that was totally unscripted, ­virtually unedited and as natural as possible – exception made for a ­camera and some lights”.

The aim is to help potential recruits decide whether Freshfields is the “right choice for them”.

The films have appeared in time for next month’s BFI Film Festival. An accident? Tullkinghorn is not so sure.

News ­worthies

Who is the most high-­profile lawyer in the UK? Before you read on, ­Tulkinghorn had better say it probably isn’t you, so pocket that ego. But here’s a clue: she’s a big fan of The Beatles. That’s right, the number one is Heather Mills’ favourite pot plant Fiona Shackleton. According to Sweet & Maxwell, the divorce lawyer has ­featured in 247 national and regional press articles over the past 12 months.

Coming in at number two is Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, followed by Reprieve’s Clive Stafford Smith, then ‘Mr Loophole’ Nick Freeman, followed by settlement king Raymond Tooth.Meanwhile, the highest-profile legal figure is Mr Justice Eady, with an amazing 334 press articles over the year.

Who gets the award for rent-a-quote of the year? Step forward Mark Stephens, a media lawyer with Finers Stephens Innocent. ­Journalists’ favourite Stephens ­amazingly makes it in at ninth place on the list.

That’s all folks!

Another book written by a lawyer? “Blah blah blah,” you might think.

Well, this one is a little different. The ­wonderfully titled ­collection of cartoons 101 Ways to Leave the Law, by Alex Steuart Williams, has hit shelves.

You may recognise the author’s name – Williams has penned the Queen’s Counsel cartoon strip in the legal pages of The Times since 1993 and left the bar in 1996 (leaving behind a tenancy at 12 King’s Bench Walk) to work as an animator on Hollywood movies.

The films Williams has worked on include such hits as The Lion King, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince.

His latest collection features cartoons on the theme of ending a career in the law – surely the perfect stocking filler for any real estate and ­leverage finance lawyers out there.